GoPro leaking issues?

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Barth1234

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Hi all,

I'm going to dive in Egypt in a few weeks. I would love to should some underwater photo's/video and therefore thinking about buying a GoPro.

Online I'm reading a lot about leaking gopro's (HERO 5 Black), even though is supposed to be water proof. There are really a lot of topics about this issue.

I'm going to use a supersuit/underwaterhouse (because diving to approx. 20 meters).

What are your experiences? Are those "other online gopro people" extremely uncareful with their products or is GoPro failing?

Thanks in advance.

Kind regards,
Bart
 
I've done several 100 ft. plus dives with my Hero 5 and the GoPro dive housing with no issues or leaks. I think it would be ok to snorkel with the Hero 5 but, I would not dive without the housing. If you stick with the GoPro housing you should be just fine.
 
In will use the diving house. But still there were a lot of massages of the dive house leaking...

Thnx for your response
 
"even though is supposed to be water proof."
Shh! Don't let the FTC hear you say that. Nothing is "waterproof", in the US it must be advertised as "Water resistant to xx feet for xx minutes" or to a similar objective standard.

Although, I suppose, a plain gold bar or coin could be sold as "waterproof" without any limits.(G)

And as every Rolex repair shop will tell you, anything with o-rings to make it waterproof, is still only "waterproof" for a year or two at best. O-rings degrade. Sand or grit gets in. UV and sunscreen eat them. They ALL WILL FAIL the only question is when.

With a brand new GoPro, I'd want to actually take it down and test it--because even new things are sometimes DOA. Make sure the seals hold, then enjoy the vacation. Keep the seals clean, surgically clean, and typically greased with silicon grease. And then remember to replace the seal(s) every year or two.

Nothing special about GoPro that way, even the Rolex diver's watches are expected to leak if not serviced regularly.
 
This past August I dove with three different GoPros. My sons and a nephew carried two and I carried one. Out of five dives to 74 feet give or take, I did have one case leak a tiny bit on the third dive. I personally believe that this was due to having the case open during a surface interval and possibly having a salt crystal form. I rinsed the cases and seals that evening and had no other issues for the last two dives. I think that if all of the seals are clean, you should be good to go. A chronic leak issue would be due to a manufacturing error, IMO. They are always possible. And I am sure that they happen. I experienced it. But considering the untold numbers of these things being used underwater I have to think that we would know if it was endemic?
 
It's important to regularly rinse and soak after diving and avoid salt water drying on the housing/GoPro after diving with it. It's also important to wash the ring and check it for structural issues - hair, dust, salt crystals, etc. will all cause floods and leaks.
 
Also, the 5 is water resistant and a little water in the case should not kill it like it did the the 3's and 4's. I had no leaks with my 5 super suit so far.
 
Barth1234,
If you are careful, meticulous, keep the housing clean and rinse after every dive, don't just casually swap batteries between dives unless you are able to safely open the housing and with everything around you being dry and clean, use lint free photo equipment towel and carry through proper camera setup when conditions allow you to pay close attention to what you are doing, you won't have any problem what so ever.

If you get careless, just swap batteries and let moisture get in the housing, don't dry your housing, your hands, nor anything around hinges and lock well before opening it, get distracted telling the curious diver that's quizzing you while you swap batteries between dives about what kind of GoPro is that.... all while the boat you are in is dealing with 2-3 foot seas, and you just have to dry things up before closing the GoPro with whatever towel or T-shirt or thing that's conveniently near by, you will flood the housing and loose your GoPro in no time.
Hope this helps.
Ricardo
 
The only time I had a GoPro leak was on a 260' dive with a standard(at the time) dive housing on a Hero 3 black.

The case cracked at one of the lens Port screws and let about 3 drops of water into the housing. I'm pretty sure that housing was only rated for 190'.

In fact my avatar was doing deco on that exact dive.
 
PS: forgot to mention. Don't wait to the last minute, when you are sitting on the boat and ready to start your dive to try figure out how to use the GoPro. Practice using it well before you leave town, take it with you to the park, pool, wherever you can practice recording video, taking photos and calmly review results. Get familiar with the menu, settings and everything associated with placing it in the housing, taking it out and servicing the units. Consult YouTube videos and if you like to read, buy an ebook on Amazon that will teach you the ins and outs of GoPro videography and photography.
You may want to invest in LED video lights and a red filter too.
Enjoy your trip.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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